Plans for the House to debate a proposal
to overhaul Louisiana's juvenile justice system were scuttled Thursday after
lawmakers could not agree on how to frame an amendment related to the proposed
closure of the Tallulah prison in northeast Louisiana. Rep. Francis Thompson,
D-Delhi, who represents Madison Parish, home of the prison, said he wants language
added to HB 2018 to ensure that some of the prison jobs stay in the area as
the juveniles are transferred to non-secure programs or one of the state's other
three youth prisons. "I'm for trying to rehabilitate kids," said Thompson, adding
that he must protect the economy of his district. The Department of Corrections
plans to keep the facility open after the 225 juveniles housed there are taken
out, and probably would use it for young offenders convicted in adult courts.
Thompson said any changes at the prison during the transition period would have
a devastating effect on the economies of Madison, East Carroll, West Carroll,
Tensas and Richland parishes. David Utter, executive director of the Juvenile
Justice Project of Louisiana, questioned the purpose of such an amendment, saying
many youths who would be removed from the prison are from south Louisiana and
should be put in programs close to their homes. "The whole idea is looking at
the system and doing what is best for the kids using scarce fixed dollars,"
Utter said.